Fruit brusher



Patented May 11, 1937 of ftyifive lpfer flieht to IF. E. Wood, W. G. 'Carttr,.J."B. Seem, and W. J .'"Bailey, Monrovia,

SCalf.

Application February 9, 41935, Serial No. V5,749

My invention relates to the preparation fof agricultural produce for market and-more particularly to a'machine for washing, polishing or 'otherwise 1treating fruits such as oranges, 'apples, etc.

Particular care must'bevexercised in'washing these fruits `in order to `thoroughly -clean the somewhat inaccessible depressions at the stem and iblossom ends thereof. It is valso necessary that-fruits havingf'scaly surfacesbe thoroughly scrubbed to Yremove the scale therefrom. The fruit washing machines in use at present do not Veiectively clean very dirty or sealy fruit, particularly the inaccessible portions referredto.

An object of my invention is to provdea machine that will thoroughly clean "fruitfregardle'ss of how dirty or sealy the 'fruit vmay be.

Another object of my invention is the provi- "sion of a fruit washerin which a uniform pressure is exerted "by the brushing vsurfaces Von'the fruit regardless ofthe variation in size of the pieces of fruit.

A further objectof my invention is fte 'provide Va washer in whichthefruit iscor'itinlallyfrolled 'so as to presenttheientire vsurface-of V4each piece of fruit to the brushing surface.

Furtherobjects and advantages will be made `manifest in the followingdescriptiony taken in yconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational viwfo'f apre'ferre'd embodiment of Fmy inventiongi `certain iportions thereof Ibeing broken l away to Finore lclearly disclosethe structure.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse Asectional View taken on theiline'fZ--Zof 'Fig. 1.

Fig. 3is an enlarged'verti'c'allsectional view of Yone of the brusheslincludedin my invention.

ilfzanriaiurushing unit IIs.

'The frame 1| l `includes four 'veinte'.i, angie non corner posts '15, these -bein`gjoned Tat 'their `'upper endsby transverse bars I6 and vlongitudinal 'supporting @brushes 12| which extend rui@ rif-uu (c1. 14e-2oz) The Vconveyor I2 includes a-pair of upperand lower anglebars T25 and'26 :respectively the bars `26 extending beyondr the ends "of the frame I I l as shown in Fig. 1. .Mounted on opposite ends-f the bars 26 are pairsofaligned bearings 21 and 128 'in 'which shafts `29 and V39 are journalled. -Fixed on eachof "theshafts-'29 and 30 are pairs of sprockets`3l about whichconveyor chains 33 are trained. As shown in Figs. l'and 2 the upper'a'nd lower flightsfof the 'chains `3-3 are supported'bythe angle bars 225v`and 26 respectively. Carried by the chains 33 are closely spaced rotatablerollers 35,*por`tions of whichare reduced in diameter as shown in Fig. 2 to'provide annular necks 36 and ridges 31. Fixed on the frame II and rollably supportingthe rollers 35 when these are disposed between 'the upper -i'lights -of the chains 33 Aare tracks 38. Suspended over the conveyor I2fas shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a plu- 4 V'ralityv of p'arallel'rods'll, ea'ch of these being positioned close=to the yrollers35 invertical alignment With tlieridges .-31. suitably-mounted at opposite ends of 4the'conveyor vI2 are intake and voutlet drop boards-M `-andwi respectively.

The brushing unit` I 3- includes a-frame-50 having A upperand'lower angle-iron bars-5I and 52 these being `held 1in spaced. relation by spacers 53. lFixed at their opposite ends torthe Vupper angle l"i'ronsiil fare horizontal bars 55, :similar-bars 56 fas sliovvnin Figs. L1 and 2. Fixedon the ends ofthe shafts 58are discs 59'positioned to contact @the corner `posts I5.

Itis "thus clear that the frame 5015i the brushingunit 13 is mounted in AtheffreirfneIIof the machine lil so asto be movable vertically. suitably journalled on top of the frame fII are shafts 62 and63 having eccentrics164 fixed ontheends thereof. Mounted on each of the jeccentrics-64 is a roller 65 to `whicharod166-is `f1xed,.the lower ends of the lrods-being* rockably connected to the frame 5U ofthe brushing unit I3. "Trained about suitable sprockets on the ends of the shaftsz52 and v63 is a1 chain 68. The "shaft 62 is'driven `by a'rnotor E9 and chain drive 10,rotation 0f `the shaft 62 Ybeing'tra'.'nsmitt'ed tothe shaft '63 by means of 'the'chain 68. Tlfiernotor 69has abuilt-in speed reducing mechanism so as to drive the shafts 62 and 63 iat a relatively `slow speed. As :shown in Fig. `2 the "conveyor l2 is V-dri'venfrom the -shaft i673 by a Tsuitable chain Qdri'vle4 12. i

-Mounted6nithe bars 55 56M 4the brushing unit I3 is a plurality of pairs of vertically aligned housings l5 in which ball bearings 'I8 are received as shown in Fig. 3. Rotatably mounted between each pair of the bearings 'I6 is a pulley 11. Threaded into the hub of each of the pulleys 11 is a screw 80 formed to provide a stud 8l upon which a roller 82 is mounted as shown in Fig. 4.

Slidable vertically in the bore of each of the pulleys 'I'I is a spindle 85 formed to provide a" spiral keyway 88. Fixed on the lower end of each of the spindles is a face plate 81 on which. a brush' 88 is mounted. Secured on the upper ends of the spindles 85 arecollars 89 for the purpose of limiting the downward movement of the spindles 85.

Supported on the frame 58 ofy the brushing unit I3 is a vertical motor 95 having a shaft 98 to which a pulley 91 is keyed. Trained about the moto-r pulley 81 and the spindle pulleys Il is an endless belt 98 as shown in Fig. 5, it being noted that each of the pulleys I'I is driven in a direction opposite tothat of the pulleys adjacent thereto.

It will be seen in Fig. 3 that when the spindle 85 is driven by pulley 'I1 in the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow A that contact of the roller 82 with the spiral key way-85 will, in addition to rotating the spindle 85, tend to lift the spindle. It will also be noted in Figs. 1 and 2 that the spindles 85 are provided with either right or left hand spiral key ways 86, depending upon the direction of rotation so that all of the spindles 85, while being rotated by the pulleys 'I1 will tend to be lifted thereby.

Operation When the motor 88 isstarted the shafts 62 and 83 are rotated causing the eccentrics 84 to continually raise and lower the frame 58 of the brushing unit I3. The conveyor I2 is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow B in Fig. 1 by the chain drive 'I2 shown in Fig. 2. Each of the spindles 85 is driven at a relatively high speed of rotation by starting the motor 95. Pieces of fruit F to be washed are conveyed from a soaking tank (not shown) and placed on the inlet board 44 so as to roll onto the conveyor I2. Each piece of fruit F lodges between a pair of the rollers 35 in the cavities formed by the opposite neck portions 36 in the rollers 35 and is rotated by the rotation of these rollers. As the brushing unit I3 is raised by the eccentrics 64 the fruit F passes under the brushes 88 and when the unit I3 is lowered the fruit is subjected to a vigorous scrubbing action. When the brushes 88 are being lowered onto the fruit F, the spindles 85 slide within the pulleys 11 when a kpredetermined pressure occurs between the brushes 88 and fruit F, so regardless of the size of each piece of fruit there is no danger of injury thereto as a result of too much pressure thereon by the brush 88.

Another point to be noted is that each piece of fruit is held by the pockets formed by the rollers 35 against displacement by the brushes, the rods 40 also assisting in keeping each piece of fruit in its proper place during the brushing operation. This retention of the fruit greatlyv facilitates the cleaning thereof by the brushes.V While being held in this manner, it is clear that each piece of fruit is continually rotated about its center while being carried along against the brushes 88 due to the rotatable mounting ofthe rollers 35. It is thus evident that each piece of fruit while passing through the machine I0 has1 itsentire surface subjected to a gentle but thorough scrubbing action.

Although I have shown and described but one preferred form of my invention it is to be understood that many modifications and changes might be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a fruit treating machine, the combination of: a frame; a conveyor mounted on said frame for carrying pieces of fruit; a rotary treating element mounted on said frame over said conveyor and extending downwardly into contact with said fruit, said treating element being yieldable upwardly; means for rotating said treating element about a vertical axis; and means responsive to engagement between said element and said fruit to draw said treating element upwardly away from said fruit to reduce the force exerted on said fruit by said treating element.

2. In a fruit treating machine, the combination of a frame; a conveyor mounted on said frame for carrying pieces of fruit; a rotary treating element mounted on said frame over said conveyor and extending downwardly into contact with said fruit, said treating element being yieldable upwardly; means for rotating said treating element about a vertical axis; means responsive to engagement between said element and said fruit to draw said treating element upwardly away from said fruit to reduce the force exerted on said fruit by said treating element; and means on said conveyor for retaining each piece of fruit against displacement in relation to said conveyor by said treating element.

3. A combination as in claim l in which power means is provided for continually and positively moving said conveyor and said treating element relatively toward and away from each other.

4. In a fruit treating machine, the combination of: a frame; a horizontal conveyor for carrying pieces of fruit; a rotatable and vertically slidable spindle mounted on said frame over said conveyor, said spindle being formed to provide a helical key way thereon; a brush on the lower end of said spindle for engaging said fruit; a driven pulley on said spindle; a key provided in the bore of said pulley to engage said helical key way, said pulley being driven in a direction of rotation to cause said key to exert a lifting force on said spindle in addition to rotating the same, said lifting force resulting from the contact of said key with the helical angularity of said key way.

5. A combination as in claim 4 in which a plurality of such brushes and mounting mechanisms are provided and transversely disposed; and means for retaining each piece of fruit against bodily displacement by one of said brushes laterally on said conveyor.

6. A combination as in claim 4 in which means isprovided on said conveyor for retaining each piece of fruit against bodily displacement by said brush laterally on said conveyor.

7. In a fruit treating machine, the combination of: a horizontal conveyor including ilexible endless chains and a series of rollers rotatably supported at their ends between said chains; means for causing said rollers to rotate as they travel between the upper flights of said chains; means forl feeding fruit to said rollers; means for `segregating and maintaining the fruit so fed in rows extending transversely of said rollers and parallel with the direction of their travel; a

plurality of series of brushes rotating on vertical axes one of said series being disposed over each of said rows; means for rotating said brushes; and means causing said brushes to yield upwardly in response to inequalities of the fruit moving therebeneath.

8. A combination as in claim 7 in which means is provided for periodically reciprocating said brushes vertically with relation to said fruit during the operation of said machine.

9. n a fruit treating machine, the combination of: a frame; a horizontal conveyor including flexible endless chains and a series of rollers rotatably supported at their ends between said chains; means for causing said rollers to rotate as they travel between the upper flights of said chains; means for feeding fruit to said rollers; means on said frame for segregating and maintaining the fruit so fed in rows extending transversely oi said rollers and parallel with the direction of their travel; rotary overhead brush means for scrubbing the fruit in each of said rows as it is conveyed in said direction by said rollers; and means for periodically reciprocating said brush means vertically with relation to said fruit during the operation of said machine.

l0. In combination: a treating element adaptable to yieldably conform with the exterior surfaces of recesses in the stem and blossom'ends of pieces of fresh whole fruit; means for mounting said treating element for rotation about a vertical axis; means for feeding pieces of fruit in single le along a pathway extending beneath said treating element and rotating said fruit as it is so fed to successively bring the stem and blossom ends thereof upwardly; and means for rotating said treating element about a vertical axis andiinoluding additional means for adjusting the height of said treating element in response to engagement of said fruit and said element to cause the latter to extend into the recesses at the stem and blossom ends of said fruit which might be disposed upwardly as such fruit is conveyed therebeneath so that said treating element extends into and frictionally engages the surfaces of said upwardly disposed recesses.

11. A combination as in claim 10 in which a plurality of said treating elements is provided and operated as defined in said claim and in which the fruit conveying means conveys said pieces of fruit successively beneath all said treating elements in the manner dened in said claim.

l2. A combination as in claim l in which a plurality of said treating elements are provided; and means for segregating pieces of fruit travelling on said conveyor into a plurality of parallel longitudinal rows, said elements being disposed over said rows with the axes therefore intersecting said rows.

13. A combination as in claim 1 in which a plurality of said treating elements are provided; and longitudinally disposed barriers provided on said frame for segregating pieces of fruit travelling on said conveyor into a. plurality of parallel longitudinal rows, said elements being disposed over said rows with the axes thereof intersecting said rows.

HARRY J. BRANDENBURG. 

